Aldabra Giant Tortoise behavior

The Aldabra Tortoise is one of the largest tortoise in the world. They are an endangered species and are not commonly kept as private pets, although the Aldabra Tortoise is a common tortoise in zoos and wildlife preserves. Attempts are being made to reintroduce Aldabra Tortoises to small islands.

The only remaining species of four types of giant tortoises that once lived in the Indian Ocean, the Aldabra Tortoise lives on the Aldabra Atoll, an island north of Madagascar on the coast of Kenya. It is estimated that there are about 150,000 Aldabras living on the Aldabra Atoll, the largest known colony of giant tortoises in the world. It is found on three of the four islands that make up the Aldabra Atoll. The majority of the population is concentrated on Malabar and Grande Terre. Malabar consists of dense vegetation at the center of the island, but the tortoises reside on the more open, coastal areas that consist of grasslands and shrubs. The Aldabras are grazers and feed primarily on grasses, herbs, and sedges. Only two seasons exist on the Aldabra Atoll: the monsoon season, from November to April, and the dry season, from May until October. The tortoises choose their habitats based on where the premium growth is after the rainy season. Many tortoises migrate closer to the turf during the rainy season, but when the rainy season is over, the tortoises left on the coast have a high fatality rate due to lack of shade and dehydration. Very little is known about appropriate housing of Aldabra Tortoises in captivity. When attempts are made to breed captive Aldabras, the eggs are more often than not infertile.